Outside of Mexico City from a plane: Photo by Mark Booth
Is your burden too heavy to carry? Are you facing difficult times? Are you without hope? Are you without direction? Does anybody care? Yes, there is One who does care. His name is Jesus Christ. What does God say: “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)God is ready and waiting for us to place our burdens upon Him.
Here is a devotion written by Octavius Winslow that expresses God’s desire for us to Lean Hard upon Him. Octavius Winslow was a pastor during the 19th century who was known for compassionate and doctrinally sound preaching. He is one of my favorite authors. I would encourage any of my readers to look up his books and download them for free. Enjoy the following devotion and don’t forget to Lean Hard!
Lean hard!
(from Winslow’s, “The Burden Cast upon God”)
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord; and He shall sustain thee.” (Psalm 55:22)
It is by an act of simple, prayerful faith we
transfer our cares and anxieties, our sorrows
and needs, to the Lord.
Jesus invites you come and lean upon
Him, and to lean with all your might upon
that arm that balances the universe, and
upon that bosom that bled for you upon
the soldier’s spear!
But you doubtingly ask, “Is the Lord able to do this
thing for me?” And thus, while you are debating a
matter about which there is not the shadow of a
shade of doubt, the burden is crushing your gentle
spirit to the dust.
And all the while Jesus stands at your side and
lovingly says, “Cast your burden upon Me and
I will sustain you. I am God Almighty. I bore
the load of your sin and condemnation up the
steep of Calvary, and the same power of
omnipotence, and the same strength of love that
bore it all for you then, is prepared to bear your
need and sorrow now. Roll it all upon Me!”
“Child of My Love! Lean hard! Let Me feel the
pressure of your care. I know your burden, child!
I shaped it- I poised it in My own hand and made
no proportion of its weight to your unaided strength.
For even as I laid it on, I said I shall be near, and
while she leans on Me, this burden shall be Mine,
not hers. So shall I keep My child within the circling
arms of My own love. Here lay it down! Do not
fear to impose it on a shoulder which upholds the
government of worlds! Yet closer come! You are
not near enough! I would embrace your burden,
so I might feel My child reposing on My breast.
You love Me! I know it. Doubt not, then. But,
loving me, lean hard!”
Bible Treasures for Today 